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My graphic design experience goes back to high school when I took a Printing and Graphics class. That class introduced me to offset printing and the steps necessary to create a printed piece. I also learned about silk–screening and a little desktop publishing.

After high school, I attended Al Collins Graphic Design School (now Collins College) to pursue my Associate of Arts degree in Visual Communications. After 13 months, I graduated and, instead of continuing my education, decided to get to work. I soon found a job at Reno Printing, where I worked for six months as a prepress technician, creating proofs, stripping film, and making plates for large offset presses. This experience proved invaluable to me in later graphic design positions. My supervisor had heard of a graphic design job for a local magazine and suggested I apply. I was awarded the job and began my intended career of graphic design.

My new responsibilities as a graphic designer entailed the layout and design of Showtime Magazine, a bi–weekly local event and entertainment publication. I also worked on the monthly publications Bay and Delta Yachtsman and Yachts For Sale. Working on four magazines a month meant a lot of long hours and presented many different challenges. When I first started, we would paste–up each page of every issue. That meant placing printouts of copy, along with halftone photographs in semi–heavy board stock and sent to the printer for production of negatives (film). By the time I had left, we were producing our own negatives in–house using an image–setter.

After a couple of years, I decided to look for another position. I had felt I had done all I could with Recreation Publications and was ready for a new challenge. I was offered the opportunity to apply for the Art Director position at Shotgun Sports Magazine. I was ultimately offered the job which I accepted, and have been working for them, in some capacity, ever since. My initial responsibilities were the layout and design of Shotgun Sports, a magazine that was published 11 times a year. The magazine went to 12 issues per year in 2005 or 2006. I also worked on advertisements, trade ads for other publications, a yearly mail–order catalog, flyers, and whatever they asked me to do (I was the Art Department, not the Art Director, as I did not direct anybody other than myself). In 1999 I asked for the added responsibility of maintaining the website. I didn’t have much web experience, but I was looking to challenge myself and grow as both a designer and as a member of the staff. I also felt I could make it look and function much better. In the past 11 years, the website has had two major revisions, the last coming in September of 2009. In that time I also implemented a shopping cart and began creating and sending bi–monthly email newsletters that promote the magazine and products sold within the mail–order department. On December 31, 2009 I became an independent contractor and began working from home.

I now work at home on my Apple® Macintosh™ G5, still designing Shotgun Sports and maintaining the website and online store every month. I also am afforded the ability to pursue new projects and clients as well. Hopefully this revision of my website will further those objectives and present new opportunities and challenges.

I decided to go back to school in March 2010 to pursue my Bachelor’s degree, something I should have done a long time ago. I am currently enrolled at the National University pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. With the print industry suffering from consumer disinterest, I figure the internet is where things have been headed for the last decade or so and should be a safe bet for furthering my education. I will graduate in the Spring of 2013.